Boulder County Public Health: No apparent threat from 6-year-old girl's death

By Pierrette J. Shields Longmont Times-Call

Posted:
02/19/2013 12:18:30 PM MST

Updated:
02/19/2013 06:51:31 PM MST

A memorial for Lluvia Espinoza Morales, the 6-year-old girl who died Monday, sits in front of her family s garden-level apartment.
(
Matthew Jonas
)

LONGMONT -- The Boulder County coroner and public health officials are still investigating the death of a 6-year-old girl whose death Monday might have been due to complications of the flu, but there is no apparent public health threat, officials said.

"We haven't yet identified anything that should be of concern to the public," said Bernadette Albanese, medical officer with Boulder County Public Health.

Longmont police launched an investigation into 6-year-old Lluvia Espinoza Morales' death Monday morning after the Boulder County Coroner's Officer notified police that the child had died at Longmont United Hospital, where she was taken after showing flu-like symptoms.

An undated photo of 6-year-old Lluvia Espinoza Morales is included in the memorial outside her family s apartment.
(
Matthew Jonas
)

Because the child had not been under medical care for the symptoms until arriving at the hospital, police used a hazardous materials response at the child's home at 706 Darby Court. . Cmdr. Tim Lewis said police officials wanted to use an abundance of caution so as not to expose detectives and their families to a possible virus. Police routinely investigate deaths that are not attended by physicians, and Lewis said there was nothing suspicious about the child's death.

Albanese said she could not comment specifically on the girl's case unless there was a public-health threat.

"The investigation is active and ongoing and we are working closely with the coroner to see if we can find out what happened," she said.

Lewis said Monday that three other children in the home were cleared medically.

St. Vrain Valley School District spokesman John Poynton would not say which school the girl attended but did say that public health officials contacted the district to let them know there was no public health threat.

"We will respond as needed as we normally do in instances of trauma and loss," he said.

While it has not been determined yet whether the child had the flu, the virus can be fatal. Since Colorado's flu season began in October, the state has recorded five pediatric flu-related deaths.